Washing-machine



(Ho Model.)

J. H.- ATWATER.

WASHING MACHINE. 7 No. 255,562. Patented Mar, 28,1882. qw I S WITNESSES N. PETERS, Molfihugrlphar. Wishingwm D. C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. ATWATER, OF MEDFORD, MINNESOTA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,562, dated March 28, 1882,

Application filed January 12, 1882. (No modeh) Figure 1 is a plan view of my improvement. .Fig. 2 is a sectional side-elevation of the same,

taken through the broken line as m, Fig. 1.

The object of this invention is to provide washing-machines constructed in such a manner that they will wash the clothes quickly and thoroughly and without injuring them, and will allow any desired part of the clothes to receive an extra amount of rubbing.

The tub of the machine is made with vertical sides A and a curved sheet-metal bottom, B, which is extended upward to form the ends of the tub, and is strengthened by bars 0, attached to its ends. The tub A Bis supported at a suitable elevation by legs D, attached to its sides.

To the sides A of the tub, near one end, is journaled a shaft or cylinder, E, to the ends of which are attached disks or flanges F. To and between the outer parts of the flanges F, and at a little distance from each other, are journaled the ends of corrugated rollers G. One of thejournals of the flanged cylinder E F projects through the side A, and to it is attached a large gear-wheel, H, the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of the large gear-wheel I, attached to thetprojecting end of a journal of the shaft J. The shaft J is jourualed to the sides A of the tub, and around the said shaft is passed an endless apron, K, which also passes around a series of rollers, L. The rollers L are journaled to and connected by a series oflinks, M, so as to form a flexible chain ofrollers. The outer ends of the first links M are pivoted to the sides A of the tub, or to a rod attached to the said sides at a little distance from the shaft J. The flexible chain of rollers L is passed partly around the cylinder of corrugated rollers' G, and the journals of the last roller L of the series are pivoted tothe ends of two rods, N. The other ends of the rods N have hooks formed upon them, and are hooked into the ends of straps 0, which are wound around and are attached to a shaft, P. The shaft P isjournaled to brackets or bars Q, attached to the sides A of the tub.

To the shaftP is attached, and around it is wound, a strap, R, which may be a continuation of one of the straps O, and to the other end of the said strap R is attached the end of a spiral spring, S. The other end of the spiral spring S is attached to the side A of the tub.

The mechanism is operated by means of a crank, T, attachedto a journal of the shaft J.

U are erossbars, which are inserted in pockets formed in the endless apron K, or are otherwise attached to the said apron, to keep the apron spread and prevent it from running off the ends of the rollers around which it passes. In using the machine the clothes to be washed are inserted between the endless apron Kand the cylinder ofcorru gated rollers G, and as the machine is operated the said clothes are carried around the said cylinder of rollers, and are squeezed and rubbed by and between the corrugated rollers G and the smooth rollers L acting behind the apron K. With this construction the corrugated rollers G will travel faster than the endless apron K, so that said corrugated rollers will move forward upon the clothes, and will thus operate more effectively upon the said clothes-than they wouldif the rollers and clothes traveled at the same speed. With this construction, also, the shaft P, the flexible straps 0 It, and the spiral spring S allow the flexible chain of rollers to adjust itself to the varying thickness of the clothes being operated upon,andatthe sametime holds the clothes pressed against the cylinder ofcorrugated rollers G with the necessary pressure. As a quantityoi'clothes is placed within the machine the tenden'cyis to forcethe chain of rollers L and the apron K away from the cylinder of rollers Gr, movin 'the Li J erroller M to which the rods N are attached, downward,unwinding thestrapsO from the roller]? and winding the strap it upon the said roller P against the tension of the spring S, which thus acts tocontinue the necessary pressure of the rollers G L upon the clothes between them, thereby producing a thorough cleansing effect upon the varying thickness of material, as above set forth. By

holding the clothes so that they will not be carried forward by the endless apron K any desired partof the clothes may be rubbed to any desired extent. 5 Having thusdescribed my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Paten t- 1. A washing-machine constructed substantially as herein shown and described, and consisting of the tub A B, the cylinder of corru- Io gated rollers G, the flexible chain of rollers L, the endless apron K, and a driving mechanism, as set forth.

2. In a washing-machine, the combination, with the tub A B, of the cylinder of corrugated 15 rollers Gr, the flexible chain of rollers L, the

JOHN .H. ATWATER.

Witnesses:

JoHN BAILEY, A. S. BAILEY. 

